Psychological and pharmacological interventions for depression in patients with coronary artery disease

The interface of depression and cardiovascular disease: therapeutic implications

“…The authors do state, however, that the evidence for this conclusion is weak due to the low number of high-quality trials per outcome and the heterogeneity of examined populations and interventions. 64 Work is emerging in identifying biomarkers to improve treatment outcomes in depression. For example, one research group has identified biomarkers associated with inflammation or metabolism and genomic markers that may identify patients with SSRI-resistant depression who are responsive to adjunctive therapy with l-methylfolate.…”

Treatment of Depression in Cardiovascular Disease

“…Certain antidepressants do exert cardiovascular side effects (orthostatic hypotension, hypertension, conduction abnormalities). [23,24] Norepinephrine binds peripherally to αand βadrenergic receptors, which can cause increases in blood pressure, heart rate, enhanced contractility, and augmentation of conduction velocity. In patients with CVD, this could lead to ischemia, chest pain, hypertension, and arrhythmias.…”

A Stepwise Psychotherapy Intervention for Reducing Risk in Coronary Artery Disease (SPIRR-CAD): Results of an Observer-Blinded, Multicenter, Randomized Trial in Depressed Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

“…Several trials have attempted to treat depressive symptoms or disorders in coronary patients (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), but metaanalyses show no treatment effect on total mortality and mainly small, if any, effects on psychological outcomes (21,22).…”